Vodafone reshuffles European team to revive its online push

VODAFONE is to merge its northern and southern European units into one division to be led by Philipp Humm, to help the mobile operator sharpen its new focus on rolling out internet services across the region.

Faced with increasing consumer demand for internet access via smartphones and tablets, the world’s second-largest mobile operator has increased its focus on fixed-line internet services in recent years.

It has announced a network build out in Spain as part of a partnership with Orange and has agreed a $10bn deal to buy Germany’s largest cable operator Kabel Deutschland.

Humm joined Vodafone from Deutsche Telekom in October to run the-then Northern and Central Europe arm, but his time coincided with a slowdown in the northern European countries. Paolo Bertoluzzo, currently the head of southern Europe, will become the group’s commercial officer.